Tinlicker: “You Have to Keep on Going, Travel Your Own Path”

Tinlicker joined us at Portola Festival to discuss milestones, taking risks, and the beauty of when it’s cold enough for snow.

Just over a decade ago, Micha Heyboer and Jordi van Achthoven were introduced through a mutual acquaintance who thought their similar sounds warranted a connection. After drinks and some studio time, Heyboer’s solo project, Tinlicker, became a duo. When asked how they knew things clicked, van Achthoven said they were “both being nerds making music.”

“I think [we have] the same kind of sense of humor. We found out we knew many of the same people, so that strengthened the perspective of ‘this might be a nice guy,'” added Heyboer with a laugh.

What has come since has been nothing short of impressive. In 2018, they found a home on Anjunadeep and, a year later, released This Is Not Our Universe. The album, which features “Fractal,” “Lost,” and their remix of alt-J’s “Breezeblocks,” just celebrated five years. On top of that milestone, their 2017 track “Because You Move Me” with Helsloot reached half a billion Spotify streams over the summer.

Reflecting on the last five years, Heyboer said that he’s left feeling grateful. “I think you have to keep on doing what you like doing instead of trying to be what people expect you to be.” And of their partnership, they’ve learned to strike a balance. “Especially with [Jordi], he likes to reinvent himself all the time. So he keeps us fresh, and I keep us on track,” he said.

Photo Credit: Scott Hutchinson for Portola Festival

What sets Tinlicker apart is not only their ability to craft emotionally moving soundscapes but also how artfully they reflect chapters of their lives and the world around them in their music.

This is Not Our Universe alludes to our borrowed time on Earth and how we should all be stewards of our planet. Born from the pandemic, In Another Lifetime is somber yet wistful, beautifully capturing the highs and lows.

In February, the duo released their third album, Cold Enough For Snow, on [PIAS] Électronique, marking their departure from Anjunadeep. “It was a turning point, and in our career, we had choices to make,” said Heyboer. “So we’ve made both decisions leaving the record label, starting to do live tours, and you don’t know if it’s going to work or not.”

Often, in movies or literature, the tropes of winter or snow symbolize a world without beauty or love. Tinlicker instead offers a different perspective. “I like the moment where it could actually start snowing and change the world, or it could stay the same. It’s a beautiful moment in time, when water becomes snow, it’s zero,” explains Heyboer “It’s also beautiful that the world can change in a second.”

This moment of change, when it’s cold enough for snow, brings risk. But for Tinlicker, risk has always been a welcome part of their journey. “That’s how you maintain your own path,” van Achthoven explained.

We started doing this out of fun, and then it became something. Always with your choices, it’s basically stepping out of your comfort zone. If you don’t ever leave your comfort zone, you’re never going to travel somewhere else. That’s just a new journey, and it’s scary sometimes, but it’s nice.
Jordi van Achthoven

“Yeah and it’s beautiful the relationship that we have with Anjuna, it helped us a lot and we helped them a lot,” added Heyboer. “I mean, just being in the music industry is a gamble. I’ve been in the music industry for a long time, but you’re never certain if you’re gonna make enough money to buy food. You have to keep on going, travel your own path.”

This focus on taking risks and forging their own path continues to prove them well. Tinlicker has traveled the world to some of the most incredible venues to share their music.

“Last year, we opened Amsterdam Dance Event with the Metropole Orkest. It’s like 50 people knowing what they’re doing playing your music, it was pretty insane, and it was broadcast live on television so that was pretty crazy,” mused Heyboer.

“[Prague Open Air also] became a highlight,” said van Achthoven. “We never expected that set to blow up so much. It wasn’t a totally prepared thing. We added new tracks in the Rekordbox folder, and then we just went for it.”

“Yeah, and he made “Children” in the hotel room while I was sleeping,” Heyboer added.

“In the morning, I woke up and made a remix, so that was the first time it was actually played as well,” van Achthoven continued.

Tinlicker continues to travel, having recently kicked off the North American leg of their latest live tour, where the duo steps out from behind the DJ decks. Though more challenging, the reward is also greater. “It’s more scary than doing a DJ set when you just bring your USB stick and a headphone. Live shows, more people are involved and things can go wrong,” van Achthoven said.

“And you’re constantly busy on stage. You’re constantly doing something. Sometimes, you play off-key, but it also makes it live. It also makes it human. If you’re going to a live show and everything is perfect, you actually know it’s not live,” Heyboer laughed.

When you’re jet-lagged with a nine-hour time difference, you’re going to fuck up on stage at some point, but there is beauty in the imperfections.
Micha Heyboer

Tinlicker Live at CRSSD Festival Fall 2024 || Photo Courtesy of CRSSD Festival // @imkeiki

The latest stint of their live tour takes Tinlicker to 21 cities and festivals across North America, including San Francisco’s Portola Festival.

“There’s this festival in the Netherlands called Lowlands and it’s similar when it comes to lineups. The whole switch between all these different genres in one festival is actually what we really enjoy,” said Heyboer. “Being part of that for us is a lot nicer than just being on a minimal techno festival because that’s not a challenge. Making new fans within all these people that to listen, for instance, to Justice, that’s interesting when those worlds come together.”

The previous night, they performed at CRSSD Festival, and shortly after that, Albuquerque. Despite the rigorous travel schedule, the two have found ways to stay grounded, including choosing a solid team, prioritizing health, taking walks, and staying away from the noise.

“I eat ginger, and I drink lime juice in the morning,” said van Achthoven. “It’s good for the body and keeping us healthy. We try eating as much as vegetables, and try to sleep and rest. One thing I will add is to keep grounded, especially if you are in the backstage area. There are so many people, and it drains energy, so I stay away from that.”

There’s a phrase, “Overnight success ten years in the making.” Tinlicker seems to embody that. The work they’ve done since 2012, laying the foundation of their project, culminated in success, especially in the last five years. Now a beloved group with a devoted fanbase, the duo looks toward the future.

For the last 20 years, I have always been in the studio making music. I didn’t have that much of a life outside of that, and I didn’t mind. But the music is stable enough. Now, I have to think about my life outside of the music, which I’m kind of obsessed with because I’m self-learning. I try to know myself as well. Who am I? What choices I have to make to maintain a life which I enjoy.
Jordi van Achthoven

As for Tinlicker’s future, he hopes to “keep on going with this, keep it stable, and make music that is interesting for us.”

Leaving us with one last piece of wisdom, Heyboer poses, “How can you maintain loving what you do and not copying yourself too much? Keep challenging yourself because it’s easy to just keep on doing what you’re doing.”

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